1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to slide fastener stringers of continuous or substantially endless length.
2. Prior Art
Continuous slide fastener stringers generally comprise a pair of opposed continuous stringer tapes and a pair of rows of fastener elements carried along the respective inner longitudinal edges of the stringer tapes, the rows of fastener elements having a plurality of coupling heads. These continuous slide fastener stringers come chiefly into two types. One is of the type that the rows of fastener elements are coupled together through their whole length, and the other is of the type that the rows of fastener elements have a plurality of element-free sections spaced at equal intervals therealong.
It is the usual practice of garment manufacturers to cut the slide fastener stringers, which are supplied in the form of substantially endless chain, into individual slide fastener lengths ready for attachment to a garment. When assembling slider onto the stringers of individual fastener length, the slider would often jerk and fray the edge portions of the stringer tapes, resulting in dislocated tape fibers which in turn would catch and jam the slider against the fastener elements. The fastener elements of helically coiled type, which are sewn to the tape, would be also liable to shift out of position at the element-free sections when the sewn stitches are loosened up.
To eliminate these problems, there have been proposed another type of the continuous slide fastener stringers in which a plurality of openings are formed after pieces of thermoplastic synthetic films being applied onto the fastener stringers around their portions where the respective openings is to be located. However, film residuals left around their cut edge portions of the fastener stringers obstruct a sewing needle in passing therethrough. Further, the film residuals make the garment as well as the fastener stringers to become unsightly.